A Look at Fackham Hall – This Brisk, Funny Parody of Downton Abbey That's Refreshingly Ephemeral.

Maybe the notion of uncertain days around us: after years of quiet, the comedic send-up is staging a comeback. The recent season observed the revival of this lighthearted genre, which, in its finest form, skewers the pretensions of overly serious genres with a flood of pitched clichés, physical comedy, and ridiculously smart wordplay.

Unserious periods, so it goes, create an appetite for deliberately shallow, gag-packed, welcome light fun.

The Newest Entry in This Absurd Wave

The most recent of these silly send-ups is Fackham Hall, a Downton Abbey spoof that jabs at the easily mockable airs of gilded UK historical series. The screenplay comes from stand-up performer Jimmy Carr and helmed by Jim O'Hanlon, the film has plenty of inspiration to work with and exploits every bit of it.

Starting with a ludicrous start and culminating in a outrageous finale, this entertaining silver-spoon romp packs every one of its hour and a half with gags and sketches that vary from the childish up to the authentically hilarious.

A Send-Up of Upstairs, Downstairs

In the vein of Downton, Fackham Hall presents a caricature of very self-important the nobility and excessively servile servants. The plot focuses on the feckless Lord Davenport (portrayed by an enjoyably affected Damian Lewis) and his book-averse wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). After losing their male heirs in various calamitous events, their aspirations fall upon finding matches for their offspring.

One daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has achieved the dynastic aim of betrothal to the suitable kinsman, Archibald (a perfectly smarmy Tom Felton). But once she backs out, the burden transfers to the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), described as an old maid at 23 and who harbors radically progressive beliefs about female autonomy.

The Film's Comedy Works Best

The parody fares much better when joking about the oppressive norms forced upon early 20th-century women – a subject often mined for self-serious drama. The stereotype of respectable, enviable ladylike behavior supplies the best material for mockery.

The storyline, as is fitting for a purposefully absurd parody, takes a back seat to the gags. Carr delivers them maintaining a consistently comedic clip. There is a murder, an incompetent investigation, and an illicit love affair involving the charming thief Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.

A Note on Lighthearted Fun

Everything is in lighthearted fun, but that very quality has limitations. The amplified foolishness of a spoof can wear after a while, and the entertainment value on this particular variety runs out at the intersection of sketch and a full-length film.

At a certain point, audiences could long to retreat to a realm of (very slight) logic. Yet, one must applaud a sincere commitment to the artform. In an age where we might to amuse ourselves unto oblivion, we might as well find the humor in it.